Campbell's hot hitting is no joke

Big bat, good attitude aids team's turnaround

In CAA games, UNCW's Matt Campbell leads the team with a .428 batting average and .628 slugging percentage.

UNCW senior Matt Campbell seems serious on the baseball field, but teammates know that is not always the case.

"I don't know if people can tell it or not, but Matt is a silent assassin when it comes to humor,'' slugger Tyler Molinaro said. "He throws out one-liners no one is prepared for. He can get the team rolling in laughter, when you least expect it.''

Molinaro knows him perhaps best. They also were teammates for one season at Pitt Community College. Three seasons ago, Pitt coach Tommy Eason huddled with the team after losing a weekend series in which Campbell struggled.

"He told Matt to shrug it off and the whole team turns around to see what Matt does,'' Molinaro said. "He stands up and gives this nonchalant grunt and shrug. The whole team is dying laughing, including the coaches.

"He didn't realize he was funny at the time. He is loose, fun and everyone loves Matt.''

While the ribbing seems off the cuff, there is a method to the wisecracks.

"One of our problems at the beginning of the year was because guys were pressing,'' Campbell said. "It seemed like we needed someone to get us going a little bit. So we need to come out here and be loose and have fun. We all started playing this game because it was fun. I like to have a good time and I try to keep us going.''

"Sometimes you can start thinking about things on the field too much, so I joke about a variety of things.

"It is not just me,'' he continued. "We have some characters on this team.''

Senior shortstop Jake Koenig is one. Since he put white and teal tape on the handle of a bat with dragon designed barrel, the team has rallied from a 3-9 start.

"Ever since then, we have been hitting the ball better,'' Campbell said. "I don't know if that has anything to do with it or not. The dragon goes everywhere with us. We swing it on the on-deck circle.''

The purpose was to circulate good energy throughout the team, and no one epitomizes the positive flow more than Campbell.

Since the March 7 loss at Coastal Carolina, and the unveiling of the teal and white dragon bat, he has raised his batting average 84 points to .309. In CAA games, he leads the team with a .428 batting average and .628 slugging percentage.

And since he moved to the lead-off spot on March 2, the team has a 10-6 record.

"He is one of the most dangerous lead-off hitters in the game right now,'' Seahawks' senior center fielder Andrew Cain said. "He is so big (5-foot-11, 207 pounds). Normally you see lead-off hitters small and scrappy, but he sets the tone early when he hits one of the hardest line drives you see all day right off the bat.''

Campbell and Molinaro hit one-two in the lineup and are second and third on the team in runs scored. Molinaro is the team leader with seven home runs and 22 RBI.

"Matt does exactly what a lead-off hitter should do early in a game,'' Molinaro said. "He is sneaky fast for his size. He can hit the ball with power, so it is a potent lead-off spot for him.''

A year ago, Campbell hit second in the order, had a team-high 20-game hitting streak and received second-team all-CAA honors. For his final season, he's playing catcher and third base.

"You can put him in a number of spots in the field and he will do just fine,'' Molinaro said. "He is stupid strong. He can do some things on a baseball field some football players can't do. He is an animal in the weight room. He is a special athlete.''